May Allah t'ala protect all the Muslims who are captured, oppressed and tortured by the enemies of Islam. May He grant them strength and patience. Allahumma Ameen

كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِتَالُ وَهُوَ كُرْهٌ لَّكُمْ وَعَسَىٰ أَن تَكْرَهُوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ وَعَسَىٰ أَن تُحِبُّوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ شَرٌّ لَّكُمْ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ"Jihad (holy fighting in Allah's Cause) is ordained for you (Muslims) though you dislike it, and it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know" - Quran 2:216

... (Continuation and conclusion of Chapter 2, from "The Book Of Jihad - by Abi Zakaryya Al Dimashqi Al Dumyati “Ibn-Nuhaas”)

References That The Sleep Of The Mujahid Is Better Than The Praying Of The Night And Fasting Of The Day Of Others:

Safwan bin Saleem said Abu Hurairah asked, “Can anyone of you pray continuously without rest and fast continuously without a break?” They said, “O Abu Hurairah, who could do that!” He said, “I swear in the name of whom my soul is in his hands: The sleep of the mujahid is better than that!” (Narrated by Ibn AlMubarak)

If this is the status of their sleep, then what about their prayers. This is what the competitors should compete for and this is what others should cry for missing.

Allah Reserved One Hundred Levels In Paradise For The Mujahideen, Between Each Level And The Other Is The Distance Between The Heavens And Earth:

“Allah has preferred the mujahideen over those who remain [behind] with a great reward Degrees from Him and forgiveness and mercy. And Allah is ever Forgiving and Merciful.” Al Nisa 95-96

Abu Hurairah narrates: The Messenger of Allah said, “There are a hundred levels in Paradise specially prepared by Allah for the mujahideen in His cause. Between each level and the next is the difference between the heaven and earth. So when you ask Allah, ask Him to grant you al Firdaws. It is in the middle of Paradise and the highest part of it. From it the rivers of Paradise spring, and above it is the throne of Allah."Bukhari

The Rahbanyyah (Monasticism) And Siyahah Of This Nation Is Jihad*:
*Siyahah is traveling throughout the earth. In the earlier nations some people would travel the earth for the sake of worshiping their Lord. Others would remain stationed at monasteries and that is Rahbanyyah

“[Such believers are] the repentant, the worshippers, the praisers [of Allah], the travelers, those who bow and prostrate, those who enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, and those who observe the limits [set by] Allah. And give good tidings to the believers” At-Tawba 112

Abu Said al Khudri narrates: A man came to the Messenger of Allah and said, “Advise me” He said, “Have taqwa of Allah since it is the essence of all good, and make jihad since it is the monastism of this nation, and remember Allah and recite Quran since it is light for you in this world and remembrance for you in the heavens, and preserve your tongue except from good, for you would then defeat Shaytaan."Al Tabarani – al Khateeb – Ahmad

Abu Abdullah al Haleemi said:

The meaning of “the monastism of this nation is jihad” is that the Christians used to practice monastism by leading a secluded life in a monastery. The maximum sacrifice they would give to Allah is to stay away from the allurements of this world. They would claim that they are staying away from everyone in order not to harm anyone. But there is no harm greater than leaving the evildoers practice their evil. Therefore the real ones who are avoiding evil and harm are the mujahideen who are stamping it out.

Siyahah is the traveling in the earth to flee evil and to contemplate in the creation of Allah. Since jihad involves all of that it becomes the siyahah because the mujahid is fleeing towards the creator.

The Pinnacle Of Islam Is Jihad:

Muadh bin Jabal narrates: We were with the Messenger of Allah returning from Tabook. He told me, “If you want I can tell you the head of the matter, its pillar and its peak,” I said yes O Messenger of Allah. He said, “The head of the matter is Islam, its pillar is Salah, and its peak is jihad."Al Hakim – Ahmad – al Tirmithi – ibn Majah

The Mujahid Is Given A Guarantee By Allah:

Abu Huraira narrates: The Messenger of Allah said, “Allah has guaranteed the mujahid, who leaves from his home with no purpose but to fight in the cause of Allah and believing in Allah’s words, Allah has guaranteed for him either to enter him into Paradise or to return him home with reward or booty.”Bukhari and Muslim

Abu Hurairah narrates: The Messenger of Allah said, “There are three whom it is granted that Allah will help them: The mujahid in the path of Allah, the slave who started the process of mukatabah, and the one who wants to marry for chastity."AbdulRazaq – al Tirmithi – al Hakim

Allah Will Never Forsake The Mujahideen But Would Help Them And Respond To Their Prayers:

Jabir bin Abdullah narrates: We were sent on an expedition by the Messenger of Allah to raid a caravan owned by Quraish, and he appointed Abu Ubaydah as our leader. The Messenger of Allah found nothing to provide us with except leather bags filled with dates and nothing else. Abu Ubaydah would then hand us one date each. The narrator was asked: “What good would a date be?” He said we would eat it and then suck on the date seed! In addition to drinking water, that was the only food we would have for the whole day! Then we would gather leafs of trees and soak them in water and eat them. Then we headed for the direction of the coast. We saw what appeared like a sand dune and to our surprise it was whale. Abu Ubaydah at first said it is dead (therefore it cannot be consumed) He then said: “But we are the messengers of the Messenger of Allah and we are in the cause of Allah, and this is a necessity so eat from it” We stayed there for a whole month eating from it until we grew fat and we were three hundred in number! We would collect oil from its eyes with buckets and cut from its flesh pieces as large as a bull. Abu Ubaydah had us fit 13 men in its eye socket! He then had one of it’s rib bones fixed to the ground like an arck, then he had the tallest camel with us pass from under it without the camel touching the bone! We then picked up dried meat to carry with us to Madina. When we told the Messenger of Allah our story he said, “That was sustenance Allah send for you. Do you have any of that meat left with you to give me some?” We send some to him and he ate from it."Muslim

Miscellaneous Rewards Of The Mujahideen:

Allah says: “...that is because they are not afflicted by thirst or fatigue or hunger in the cause of Allah, nor do they tread on any ground that enrages the disbelievers, nor do they inflict upon an enemy any infliction but that it is registered for them as a righteous deed. Indeed, Allah does not allow to be lost the reward of the doers of good. Nor do they spend an expenditure, small or large, or cross a valley but that it is registered for them that Allah may reward them for the best of what they were doing."Al Tawbah 102-121

Abu Bakr bin Abi Musa narrates: I heard my father say that the Messenger of Allah said, “The gates of Paradise are lying under the swords” A poor man with rags on stood up and said, “O Abu Musa, did you hear that from the Messenger of Allah?” May father said yes. The man went back to his company and told them: “I give you my salaam” He then broke his sword sheath and marched towards the enemy striking them with his sword until he was killed."Muslim

Ibn Daqeeq al Eid says: The statement that the gates of Paradise are lying under the swords would mean that Paradise is attained through the swords of the mujahideen and using the sword is necessary to get Paradise and to open its gates.

The Messenger of Allah said: “Whoever fights in the cause of Allah the time it takes to milk a camel is granted Paradise."Ahmad – Abu Dawud – al Tirmithi – ibn Majah – ibn Habbaan

Abu Hurairah narrated: The Messenger of Allah said: “The trials and tribulations are on there way. Trials like pieces of a dark night. The safest from them would be a man living on the peaks of mountains, living off his flock of sheep, or a man mounting his horse living off his sword." Al Hakim

Saburah bin al Fakah narrated: I heard the Messenger of Allah say, “Shaytaan has intercepted the son of Adam on his path towards Islam and told him: “Are you going to become Muslim and leave your heritage and the religion of your forefathers?” But the son of Adam disobeyed him and became a Muslim and was forgiven. Then Shaytaan sat for him on his path to hijrah and told him: “Will you make hijrah and leave behind your home and land?” He disobeyed him and made hijrah. He than sat for him on his path towards jihad and told him: “Are you going to fight when it is an exhaustion of your self and wealth? You would go to kill and would be killed and then your wife would be taken and your wealth divided.” The son of Adam disobeyed him and went on jihad.” The Messenger of Allah then said: “Whoever does that, it is incumbent upon Allah to admit him to Paradise, or if he dies by his animal striking him he would go to Paradise."Ahmad (Agreeable)

Khalid bin al Waleed said: “If I were to marry a beautiful woman whom I love, or if I were given the good news of having a newborn son, it is less beloved and dear to my heart then to be, in a cold icy night, in an army waiting to meet the enemy the next morning. I advise you to go on jihad."Ibn al Mubarak. These were the words of Khalid before his death.

He also said: “I was prevented a lot of reciting of Quran because of my preoccupation with jihad."Ibn Asakir – Abu Ya’la

Dhirar bin Amr said: “I have spent a very long time in jihad and my heart was longing to hajj. I made my preparations to go and then went to greet my brothers. I visited Ishaaq bin Abu Farwah to tell him good-bye. He asked me, “Where are you going?” I said: “I am going on hajj,” He said: “Has your opinion on jihad changed or what?” I said: “No! Its just that I have been here on jihad for a long time and I was longing for hajj and visiting the House of Allah” He told me:
“Dhirar! You should not do what you love, but you should do what Allah loves. O Dhirar, don’t you know that the Messenger of Allah only made hajj once, but then spend his life fighting in jihad until he met Allah. O Dhirar! If you make hajj then you are rewarded for your hajj or umrah. But if you are posted in jihad or fighting and protecting the backs of Muslims, then if that House is visited by 100,000 pilgrims or whatever number, you would be getting the reward of everyone of their hajjs and the hajj of every believing man or woman until the Day of Judgment! Because whoever protects the believers is like the one who protects them from the time of Adam until the Day of Judgment. You are also rewarded for fighting the nonbelievers from the day Adam was created until the Day of Judgment because whoever fights them today is like the one who fights them from the day Adam was created until the Day of Judgment. You are also rewarded for every letter revealed in the Torah, Gospel and Quran because you are fighting to protect the light of Allah from being extinguished.

O Dhirar bin Amr! Don’t you know that there is no one closer to the status of prophethood than the scholars and mujahideen? I said, “And how is that?” He said: “Because the scholars are the ones who fulfill the role of the Prophets in guiding others to the truth and teaching it to them. While the mujahideen are the ones who fight for what the Prophets have brought and strive to make the word of Allah the highest and the word of the nonbelievers the lowest” Dhirar said: “I decided to give up hajj and remain in jihad until I die and meet Allah”

The Virtues Of Encouraging Jihad:

Allah says: “So fight, [O Muhammad], in the cause of Allah; you are not held responsible except for yourself. And encourage the believers [to join you] that perhaps Allah will restrain the might of those who disbelieve. And Allah is greater in might and stronger in punishment."An-Nisa 84

Allah says: “O Prophet, urge the believers to battle. If there are among you twenty steadfast, they will overcome two hundred. And if there are among you one hundred steadfast, they will overcome a thousand of those who have disbelieved because they are people who do not understand."Al Anfal 65

We will end this chapter with the famous story of Umm Ibrahim. This story was mentioned by scholars like Abu Jaafar al Luban. He narrates:

It is mentioned that one of the righteous women in Basra was Umm Ibrahim al Hashimeeyah. The enemy attacked one of the Muslim towns so people were encouraged to join jihad. Abdul Wahid bin Zayd al Basri delivered a speech encouraging jihad and among the audience was Umm Ibrahim. Among the things Abdul Wahid talked about was al Hoor (the women of Paradise). Umm Ibrahim stood up and said to Abdul Wahid: “You know my son Ibrahim and you know that the nobility of al Basra wish to have him marry one of their daughters and I have not agreed to one of them yet. But I like this girl you described and I would be happy to marry her to my son. Can you please describe her again?”

Abdul Wahid then narrated a poem in the description of the Hoor. Umm Ibrahim said: “I want my son to marry this girl and I would pay you 10,000 dinars as her dowry and you take him with you in this army. He might die as a Shaheed and intercede for me on the Day of Judgment.” Abdul Wahid said: “If you do so, that is great success for you and your son.” She then called her son from the audience. He stood up and said: “Yes my mother!” She said: “Are you pleased to marry this girl with the condition of giving your soul to Allah?” He said: “Yes! I am very pleased!” She said: “O Allah you are my witness that I have married my son to this girl from Paradise with the condition he spends his soul in your sake” Then she went and brought back with her 10,000 dinars and gave it to Abdul Wahid and said: “This is her dowry. Take it and use it to provide for the mujahideen” She then purchased for her son a good horse and she armed him. When the army started its march Ibrahim came out with the reciters of Quran surrounding him and reciting:
“Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties [in exchange] for that they will have Paradise.”

When Umm Ibrahim was greeting her son she told him: “Be careful and don’t allow any shortcomings from yourself to be seen by Allah” She them embraced him and kissed him and said: “May Allah never bring us together except on the Day of Judgment!”

Abdul Wahid said: “When we reached the enemy’s territory and people were called to fight. Ibrahim was in the front and he killed many of the enemy but then they overwhelmed him and killed him. On our way back I told my soldiers not to tell Umm Ibrahim that her son was killed until I tell her. When we entered al Basra she met me and said: “Did Allah accept my gift so I can celebrate or was it rejected so I should cry?” I said: “Allah did accept your gift and your son died as a Shaheed” She then prostrated to thank Allah and said: “Thank you Allah for accepting my gift” The following day she came to me in the mosque and said: “Rejoice!” I said: “What good news do you have?” She said: “I saw my son Ibrahim last night in a dream. He was in a beautiful garden dressed in green clothes, sitting on a throne made of pearl and he had a crown on his head. He told me: “Rejoice my mother! I got married to my bride!”

The Virtue Of Racing Towards Jihad:

Allah says: “And the forerunners, the forerunners. Those are the ones brought close to Allah."Al Waqi’ah 10-11

Uthman bin Abi Sawdah said we where told that the forerunners mentioned in the verses are the first to go out on jihad and the first to go to Salah. Ibn Abi Shaybah (authentic)

Uthman is one of the Imams of the Tabi’een and one of their fighters. He was asked: Are you going out to fight this year? He said: “Yes, I wouldn’t want to miss fighting even if I were to make 100,000 dinars”

Al Hassan bin Abi al Hassan said that the Messenger of Allah sent an army and among them was Muadh bin Jabal. He was late in going out with the army so the Messenger of Allah saw him and said: “I see that your company are one month ahead of you in Paradise!” Muadh said: “O Messenger of Allah I only stayed behind in order to catch the prayer with you and so that you can make dua for me in order to make me ahead of my company in rewards!” The Messenger of Allah said: “No, they are ahead of you. Go and catch up with them” Then he said: “A journey in the morning in the cause of Allah is better than the world and everything on it, and a journey at the end of the day in the cause of Allah is better than the world and everything on it."Al Sunan

Anas bin Malik narrated: The Messenger of Allah said: “A journey in the early morning in the cause of Allah is better than the world and everything on it, and a journey at the end of the day in the cause of Allah is better than the world and everything on it."Bukhari

Al Nawawi: The hadith does not restrict reward to the beginning or end of the day. It is just to point out that by spending a very little time in the cause of Allah carries a very great reward.

Abu Hurairah narrated: The Messenger of Allah said, “Whoever goes out in his cause with no purpose but to fight in his sake and believing in Him and His Messengers, Allah will guarantee for him to either enter him into Paradise or to return him home with rewards or booty. In the name of whom Muhammad’s soul is in His hand, whoever is injured in the path of Allah, the injury would come on the Day of Judgment as it was in this world, the color is that of blood and the smell is that of musk. In the name of whom Muhammad’s soul is in His hand, if it wasn’t for making things difficult on Muslims I wouldn’t have stayed behind any army leaving in the path of Allah. But I am unable to find sustenance for the Muslims who stay behind and they have nothing and it is difficult for them for me to leave them. In the name of whom Muhammad’s soul is in His hand, I wish I could fight in the cause of Allah and then be killed and then fight and then be killed and then fight and then be killed."Muslim

Abdullah bin Muhaireez narrates that his father was sent in the army of the summer and he became extremely ill. He said: “O my son carry me into the land of the Romans” So I carried him and was still taking through the land when he said: “My son, go fast” I said, “Father, but you are ill!” He said, “My son, I want my death to meet me in the land of the Romans” I continued carrying him until he died in Hims. Ibn Asakir

The son said “I was worried how would I find anyone to pray on him janazah in the land of the enemy. I then saw ranks of men whom I never saw before praying on my father!” Trans. Note: [Those men must have been angels sent by Allah to perform prayers on this righteous man]

Saad bin AbdulAziz said Abu Muslim al Khawlani died in the territory of the Romans during the reign of Mu’awyah. He told Bisr bin Arta’ah (a companion who was the leader of their army): “Appoint me as the Amir (leader) over the dead and hand me the banner of war and make my grave the closest of all the graves of the martyrs to the enemy. I want to be resurrected on the Day of Judgment carrying the banner of war leading the martyrs.” Ibn Asakir

The Virtues Of The Dust In The Path Of Allah:

The Messenger of Allah of Allah said: “Whoever has his feet dirty in the path of Allah, Allah will save him from Hellfire."Bukhari

Abu Dardaa narrated: The Messenger of Allah said: “Allah will not combine in the lungs of His servant the dust of the path of Allah with the smoke of Hellfire, and whoever gets his feet dirty in the path of Allah, Allah will keep him away from Hellfire the distance of 1000 years travel for a fast horse, and whoever is injured in the path of Allah will receive the seal of martyrdom. The injury comes on the Day of Judgment with the color of saffron and the smell of musk. It is a sign that would be recognized by the all the creation, the beginning and the end. They will say: “He has the stamp of martyrs.” And whoever fights in the path of Allah for a period equivalent to the time it takes to milk a camel is guaranteed Paradise."Ahmad

The Virtues Of Riding The Sea In Jihad:

Anas bin Malik narrated: The Messenger of Allah would visit Umm Haraam bint Malhaan and she would feed him. Umm Haraam was the wife of Ubaadah bin al Saamit. One day when he visited her, after she fed him she sat down to comb his hair. The Messenger of Allah fell asleep. He then woke up laughing. She asked him: “What is making you laugh?” He said, “I was presented with some of my nation who were going out to fight in the cause of Allah riding the sea like kings on thrones.” I said O Messenger of Allah, ask Allah that I be one of them! He prayed for her and then went to sleep again. He woke up again laughing. She said what makes you laugh? He said he saw another group and described them as he did before. She said pray to Allah that I am one of them. The Messenger of Allah said: “You are with the first group”

Umm Haraam heard the Messenger of Allah say: “The first of my Ummah to ride the sea in the cause of Allah are forgiven” Umm Haraam said, “O Messenger of Allah am I among them” He said “Yes you are” He then said, “The first army of my Ummah to attack the city of Caesar are forgiven” She said, “Am I among them?” He said, “No”.Bukhari - [This hadith is an indication of the special honor of naval warfare and fighting the Romans.

Kaab al Ahbar said: “When a man first sets his foot on the ship he leaves all his sins behind him and becomes clean like the day he was born. And the one who suffers seasickness is like the injured who is pouring his blood in the path of Allah. And the one who is patient in the sea is like a king with a crown on his head." Saeed bin Mansoor in his sunnan with an agreeable chain to Kaab

Hayy al Ma’afiri said they were sitting with Abdullah bin Amr under the Alexandria lighthouse when the ships of jihad embarked on their journey. Abdullah said: “O Maslamah, tell me where are the sins of those people?” He said: “They are hanging on their necks!” Abdullah said: “No there not. In the name of Allah whom my soul is in his hands, they left all there sins on these beaches, with the exception of their debts”

Abdullah bin Amr said: “Allah laughs at the mujahideen of the sea many times. He laughs at them when they first ride the ship leaving their families and wealth behind. He laughs at them when the ship starts to rock in the sea. And He laughs at them when they first see the shore." Ibn Abi Shaybah (Mawqoof) [It is mentioned in hadith that if Allah laughs at someone that person will never be punished in Hellfire]

Years later Umm Haraam participated in an army traveling through the sea. When they reached ashore she fell off her mount and died.Bukhari

The author of al Mughni (Ibn Qudamah Al-Maqdisee) and others from the school of Imam Ahmad state that the expeditions of the sea are greater in reward than those of land since it is more difficult and dangerous.

In my opinion there should be no difference of opinion in that due to the aforementioned hadiths that state the great status of jihad in the sea. It should be stated however that one should not ride the sea when it is so dangerous that the likelihood of survival is very slim.

The Virtues Of Horses And Keeping Them For The Purpose Of Jihad:

Allah says: “And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by which you may terrorise the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides them whom you do not know but whom Allah knows. And whatever you spend in the cause of Allah will be fully repaid to you, and you will not be wronged.”Al Anfal 60

Abu Hurairah narrated: The Messenger of Allah said: “Whoever keeps a horse for the sake of Allah, believing in Allah and His promise, then the horse’s feeding, drinking, droppings, and urine are going to be on his scale of good deeds on the Day of Judgment.”Bukhari

The Virtue Of Fear In The Path Of Allah:

Salman said: “If the heart of the believer trembles in the path of Allah that would shake down his sins just like the shaking of a cluster of dates." Ibn al Mubarak – ibn Abu Shaybah – Tabarani (Mawqoof)

Abdullah bin Amr bin al Aas narrated: The Messenger of Allah said: “Any expedition that fights in the path of Allah and win or come back safe have already received two thirds of their rewards. While an army that looses, feels fear and is hurt have their entire reward reserved for them."Muslim

The Virtues Of Standing In The Ranks On The Battlefield:

Allah says: “Indeed, Allah loves those who fight in His cause in a row as though they are a [single] structure joined firmly.”Al Saff 4

Sahl bin Saad al Sa’idi narrated: The Messenger of Allah said: “Two moments, Allah opens in them the gates of the heavens and when that happens hardly ever would a prayer be rejected: During the call to prayer and when the armies line up their ranks."Abu Dawud

Ibn Umar said: “To stand in the ranks facing the enemy even without me striking my sword, throwing my spear, or shooting my arrows, is better to me than worshiping Allah for 60 years and not committing any sin." Al Jami

Imran bin Haseen narrated: The Messenger of Allah said: “Standing in the ranks of the army in the battlefield is better to Allah than the worship of sixty years."Al Hakim (authentic according to al Bukhari rules and agreed by al Thahabi)

Yazeed bin Shajarah (a companion) said: "I was told that swords are keys to Paradise." AbdulRazaq with an authentic chain to Yazeed

Abdullah bin Amr said: Shall I tell you about the best martyr on the Day of Judgment? That is the one who stands in the ranks on the battlefield and when they face the enemy he does not turn left or right. Rather he carries his sword and says: “O Allah! Today I hand over to you my soul to make up for my past days!” and then he is killed. That person is among the martyrs who now lay down in the high rooms of Paradise wherever they wish!” (Ibn al Mubarak)

A Chapter On The Farewell Of The Fighters:

Abu Bakr al Siddeeq escorted an army and walked with them and then said: “Praise be to Allah for having dust on our feet in his cause.” A man said: “But we just escorted them and gave them farewell?” Abu Bakr said: “We prepared them, gave them farewell and made prayers for them." Al Mussanaf by ibn Abi Shaybah – al Sunnan al kubra by al Bayhaqi

To be continued with Chapter 3, inshaAllah t'ala..

كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِتَالُ وَهُوَ كُرْهٌ لَّكُمْ وَعَسَىٰ أَن تَكْرَهُوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ وَعَسَىٰ أَن تُحِبُّوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ شَرٌّ لَّكُمْ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ"Jihad (holy fighting in Allah's Cause) is ordained for you (Muslims) though you dislike it, and it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know" - Quran 2:216

... (Continuation from "The Book Of Jihad - by Abi Zakaryya Al Dimashqi Al Dumyati “Ibn-Nuhaas”)

CHAPTER 3: THE VIRTUES OF SPENDING IN THE CAUSE OF ALLAH:

Allah says: “Who is it that would loan Allah a goodly loan so He may multiply it for him many times over? And it is Allah who withholds and grants in abundance, and to Him you will be returned." al Baqarah 245

Allah says: “The example of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is like a seed which grows seven spikes; in each spike is a hundred grains. And Allah multiplies for whom He wills. And Allah is all- Encompassing and Knowing." al Baqarah 261

The Messenger of Allah prayed to Allah to give his Ummah more. Allah revealed: “Who is it that would loan Allah a goodly loan so He may multiply it for him many times over?” The Messenger of Allah asked for more. Allah revealed: “Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account [i.e. limit] al Bayhaqi

The Messenger of Allah said: “Whoever spends in the path of Allah, it would be multiplied for them 700 times” Tirmithi – Nasa’i – ibn Habbaan – al –Hakim – Ahmad (authentic)

A man came to the Messenger of Allah with a camel in the cause of Allah. The Messenger of Allah said: “You will be given on the Day of Judgment 700 camels”Muslim – al Hakim

Abu Hurairah narrated: The Messenger of Allah said: “Whoever spends a pair in the cause of Allah would be called on the Day of Judgment to enter into Paradise. The people of prayer will be called from the gate of prayer, the people of jihad would be called from the gate of jihad, the people of sadaqah would be called from the gate of sadaqah, and the people of fasting would be called from the gate of Rayaan.” Abu Bakr said, “Would there be anyone who would be called from all of those gates?” The Messenger of Allah said, “Yes, and you are one of them." Ahmad – Bukhari – Muslim – Nasa’I

Sasa’ah bin Mu’awyah said I went to Abu Dharr’s house and didn’t find him. I then met him coming back with a camel with water on its back for his house. I asked him: “Are you Abu Dharr?” He said: “That’s what my family call me” I said, “Can you narrate to me something you heard from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah benefit me with it?” He said, “The Messenger of Allah said: “Whoever spends a pair in the cause of Allah will have the gatekeepers of Paradise rushing towards him on the Day of Judgment competing on who would be the one to invite him” I said, “What is a pair?” He said, “A pair of horses or a pair of camels”al Hakim – Ahmad – Nasa’I

Thawban narrated: The Messenger of Allah said: “The best dinar you could spend is the one you spend to feed your family, the dinar you spend on your mount in the cause of Allah, and the dinar you spend on your companions in the cause of Allah." Muslim

When the Messenger of Allah was exhorting the sahabah to donate for the preparation of the battle of Tabook, Uthman bin Affaan came to the Messenger of Allah carrying a thousand dinars (gold coins) and he poured it on the lap of the Messenger of Allah. The Messenger of Allah was tossing the coins and turning them while he kept on saying again and again: “Whatever Uthman does after this day won’t harm him!" Ahmad – Tirmithi

The Messenger of Allah said: “O Allah be pleased with Uthman because I am pleased with him." Ibn Hishaam

Muhibaldeen al Tabari said: Uthman first came with 300 camels full with their saddles, then he came in with 1000 gold dinars, then when he saw that the army is still short he brought in horses and camels up to a total of a 1000. When that wasn’t enough he sent in 10,000 dinars and 20 horses.

The Punishment Of Withholding Wealth From Being Spent In The Path Of Allah:

Allah says: “And spend in the way of Allah and do not throw yourselves with your own hands into destruction. And do good; Indeed, Allah loves the doers of good” al Baqarah 195

Huthaifah said the meaning of the ayah is that when people do not spend their wealth in the path of Allah they are throwing themselves into destruction. Bukhari

Al Qurtubi states in his tafseer that Huthaifah, ibn Abbas, Atta, Ikrimah, Mujahid and others say that you shouldn’t refrain from spending in the cause of Allah for fear of poverty. This is also the opinion of Bukhari and he didn’t mention any other opinion.

Allah says: “...and those who hoard gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah – give them tidings of a painful punishment. The Day when it will be heated in the fire of Hell and seared therewith will be their foreheads, and flanks, their backs, That is what you hoarded for yourselves, so taste what you used to hoard”. al Tawba 34-35

Allah says: “Here you are-those invited to spend in the cause of Allah – but among you are those who withhold. And whoever withholds only withholds from himself; and Allah is the Free of need, while you are the needy. And if you turn away, He will replace you with another people; then they will not be the likes of you.” Muhammad 38

Allah says: “And why do you not spend in the cause of Allah while to Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth?” Al Hadeed 10

Asslam Abi Imran said we were in an army heading from Madina towards Constantinople. The head of the army was Abdul Rahman bin Khalid bin al Waleed. The Romans had their backs facing the gates of the city. A man from among us rushed alone towards the enemy. Some people said: “There is no God but Allah! He is throwing himself into destruction!” Abu Ayub al Ansari (a companion) said: “This verse was revealed speaking about us the Ansar. When Allah gave His Messenger victory and Islam prevailed, we said let’s go back to our businesses and take care of it. Allah then revealed the verse “And spend in the way of Allah and do not throw yourselves with your own hands into destruction. And do good; Indeed, Allah loves the doers of good” So throwing our selves into destruction meant going back to our farms and businesses and leaving jihad”. Abu Imran said: “Abu Ayub remained in jihad until he was buried in Constantinople.” Abu Dawud – Tirmithi – al Hakim

Al Qasim bin Mukhamarah (tabi’ee) said: “destruction is withholding spending in the cause of Allah but if a man alone attacks ten thousand strong of the enemy that is fine and Allah knows best.” al Sunan al Kubra – al Tabari in tafseer

Shaytaan may tell you that since you might die why not leave your wealth behind for your family. This thought is only accepted by one who has little trust in Allah. It shows the existence of doubts in Allah’s ability to provide. Because if you believe that you are nothing but a middleman between Allah and your family and that in reality it is not you who is providing for them, then you would not worry for your family after you die.

Abu Dharr said the Messenger of Allah saw me entering and he was sitting under the shade of al Kabah. When he saw me he said: “In the name of the Lord of al Kaabah, they are the great losers!” I couldn’t help but go to him and ask him whom they were? He said: “The wealthy. Except for those who spend it like this” and he waved his hand left, right and behind. Then he said: “And few are they!” Muslim – Bukhari

The Virtues Of Providing For The Fighters In Allah’s Path And Taking Care Of Their Families:

Abu Saeed al Khudri said the Messenger of Allah sent an army to Bani Lahyan. He said from every two men one goes out. Then He told the ones staying behind: “Whoever of you takes care of his brother’s family until he comes back would receive half the reward of those who went out” Muslim

The Messenger of Allah said: “Whoever provides for a fighter in the cause of Allah has actually fought, and whoever takes care of the family of a fighter has actually fought” Bukhari – Muslim

Ibn Masood said: “For me to equip a fighter with a whip is better to me than making hajj” Ibn al Mubarak – ibn Abi Shaybah.

Uday bin Hatem asked the Messenger of Allah about the best sadaqah. The Messenger of Allah said: “Serving your companions in the path of Allah” He said and then what? The Messenger of Allah said: “Building a structure that would provide them with shade” He said and then what? The Messenger of Allah said: “A saddle for a horse in the path of Allah” (Sunnan Saeed bin Mansoor)

Aamir bin Qays (tabi’i) used to participate in jihad against the Romans. He had a mule, which he would share with al Muhajireen. When he is about to join an army he would go around glancing at the faces of people studying them. If he sees a group of men who would suit him he would walk up to them and say: “I would like to join you but I have three conditions” They would say: “What are they” He would say: “1) That I become your servant and I don’t want anyone competing with me in that. 2) I become the one who calls the Adhan among you and I don’t want anyone to compete with me in that. 3) I cover your expenses according to my ability.” If they agree he would join them. If they ever compete with him he would depart them and move on to find another group. Ibn al Mubarak

The early Muslims if they go out in armies they would strive to serve others and to make their company happy. They would prefer others to themselves. They would do all that for the sake of Allah and to gain His pleasure.

To be continued, inshaAllah t'ala..

كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِتَالُ وَهُوَ كُرْهٌ لَّكُمْ وَعَسَىٰ أَن تَكْرَهُوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ وَعَسَىٰ أَن تُحِبُّوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ شَرٌّ لَّكُمْ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ"Jihad (holy fighting in Allah's Cause) is ordained for you (Muslims) though you dislike it, and it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know" - Quran 2:216